Chapter 228: Sponsorship! IPO! The Perfect Start! I'm Coming to the Premier League to Challenge Bayswater Chinese Club!
August 7, afternoon – Wembley Stadium, London.
Community Shield: Bayswater Chinese Club vs. Manchester City.
From the opening whistle, Ancelotti couldn't sit still on the touchline.
The Italian coach kept pacing to the sidelines, shouting at Micah Richards to be more aware of his positioning and provide better lateral support to the center-backs. He also instructed Yaya Touré to shift out to the right wing.
But even with the adjustments, it didn't help.
Just five minutes in, Marcelo made an overlapping run into the half-space, played a slick one-two with Toni Kroos, and burst into the left side of the penalty area.
Lucio had no choice but to bring him down just outside the box.
Referee Phil Dowd considered reaching for a card—if it hadn't been so early in the game, he probably would have.
Bayswater ramped up their pressure—especially down the flanks.
"Their full-backs are even more aggressive than before,"
assistant coach Bruno Demichelis grumbled behind Ancelotti.
"Look at Marcelo—he's basically playing as a winger. Is he even a full-back anymore?"
"On the right, Walcott cuts inside and Piszczek pushes up like a forward."
It was an insanely aggressive system.
Bayswater had long been known for their attacking style, especially their use of overlapping full-backs.
Marcelo's lack of defensive prowess had been mocked for years.
But this? This was something else entirely.
"Yang Cheng clearly has absolute confidence in his midfield and center-backs,"
Ancelotti muttered, glancing across at his rival on the opposite bench.
With so many players committed forward, City had two choices:
Go all-in on the counterattack, or sit back and absorb pressure.
But those familiar with Bayswater knew that going toe-to-toe was dangerous.
You could either get destroyed, or win with style.
Speaking of center-backs, Ancelotti sighed.
Lucio was already 33. While still solid, a player of his physical style would decline quickly once his body began to falter.
Like the foul just now—
In the past, Lucio would've just bodied Marcelo off the ball.
Now? He had to foul.
Boateng and Savić were promising, but not quite ready to replace him. They needed time.
And Micah Richards was a real headache.
Ancelotti preferred Zabaleta at right-back.
But Richards was an England international.
With Pirlo and Kaká out injured, Ancelotti decided to try a 4-4-2.
GK: Joe HartDefense: Leighton Baines, Chiellini, Lucio, Micah RichardsMidfield: David Silva, Gareth Barry, Yaya Touré, RobinhoForwards: Ibrahimović and Tévez
On paper, it was a 4-4-2, but both Silva and Robinho pushed up constantly.
And with Ibra staying high and Tévez dropping deep, it played more like a messy 4-2-3-1.
City had tested the shape in preseason with good results.
Against weaker teams, they could drop a defensive midfielder for Pirlo, or replace a striker with Kaká.
Ancelotti was working hard to expand the team's tactical toolbox.
And Agüero's arrival had added serious firepower up front.
The real challenge was balancing all the egos and playing time.
But so far, City hadn't managed a single shot in this match.
Then in the 21st minute, Bale and Marcelo linked up again on the left.
Bale was just about to cut inside when Micah Richards lunged in with a brutal tackle.
Both man and ball went flying.
Ancelotti slapped his forehead.
"Is this kid brain-dead? That's a red card challenge!"
Fortunately, referee Dowd showed mercy—just a yellow.
Still, Bayswater now had a dangerous free kick.
What surprised everyone was Toni Kroos stepping up to take it.
Even Ancelotti and the fans were puzzled.
Kroos calmly placed the ball, took a few steps back, waited for the wall to form, then exhaled and began his run-up.
A curling, inward-spinning strike flew off his right foot, tracing a beautiful arc toward the top left corner of the goal.
Joe Hart hesitated—then reacted too late.
GOAL!
Thunderous cheers erupted from the Wembley stands!
More than half the crowd were Bayswater fans, and they chanted Kroos's name at the top of their lungs.
Ancelotti stood silently on the sidelines, visibly frustrated.
City still hadn't managed a single shot.
"That was a beautiful free kick,"
Demichelis said in admiration.
Ancelotti turned to glare at him with a wounded look.
"Yeah… beautiful. But that was our goal, you know."
Of course, Ancelotti wasn't shocked by Kroos's technique.
Players who excel at long passing usually also excel at dead balls.
He didn't take more set-pieces due to internal team arrangements.
At Bayswater, central and right-side free kicks were usually taken by Gareth Bale—a left-footer with power, curl, and a terrifying knuckleball.
Di María was also a free kick specialist, particularly from that side.
But Bale's status meant Di María rarely got the chance.
It was a tactical and political decision.
…
After Kroos's goal, the match opened up.
City couldn't sit back any longer.
But they didn't register their first shot until the 29th minute.
David Silva collected the ball in the right half-space and lofted it into the box.
Robinho latched on and fired, but Thiago Silva made a brilliant block, sending it out for a corner.
City's corner was immediately snatched from the air by Courtois, who had come off his line decisively.
Since taking over from Neuer, Courtois had evolved his game.
Despite his towering frame, he now ventured off his line more often—closing angles, claiming crosses.
But unlike Neuer, who roamed the high line, Courtois knew his limits.
Sending a 6'6" keeper charging outside the box too often?
That's a recipe for disaster.
Every Player Has Their Own Characteristics
Yang Cheng designed his tactics precisely based on each player's unique traits.
In the 33rd minute, Bestworth China earned another free-kick opportunity in the attacking third. It came after Gareth Barry committed a foul on Walcott.
The free-kick was from the right flank near the final third—typically Gareth Bale's zone. The Welshman launched a butterfly kick from 28 meters out, which hit the outer edge of the post and deflected out of bounds. Still, the entire Manchester City squad broke into a cold sweat.
In the 38th minute, Leighton Baines fouled Walcott in his own half, granting Bestworth China another free-kick on the right side of the pitch.
This time, Modrić took the kick and delivered a cross toward the near post. Manchester City's man-marking defense slipped up, allowing Thiago Silva to surge forward and meet the falling ball at the edge of the six-yard box. He tapped it past Joe Hart for the second goal.
2–0!
Just before halftime, David Silva delivered a precise through ball from the left half-space. Pepe was a step too slow, and Ibrahimović reached the ball first. After turning past Pepe, the Swedish striker didn't wait for Thiago Silva to recover and stepped up from the edge of the box to smash a shot into the net, pulling one back for Manchester City.
2–1!
During halftime, Ancelotti made his first substitution: Agüero came on for Robinho. Manchester City switched to a 4-3-3 formation, with David Silva moving into midfield and Yaya Touré gaining more freedom. The Blue Moon began to ramp up their offense.
But in the 52nd minute, Manchester City earned a free-kick in the attacking third. After the ball was delivered into the box, Pepe cleared it decisively. Toni Kroos won the second ball and launched a long diagonal pass.
Walcott darted forward with lightning speed. Lucio failed to intercept near the halfway line. Walcott broke the offside trap, caught up to Kroos's pass, charged forward, rounded the onrushing Joe Hart, and calmly slotted the ball into the empty net.
3–1!
After that, Yang Cheng started making substitutions. He brought on Harry Kane, Pogba, and De Bruyne in one go. Then, he subbed Sterling in for Gareth Bale and Kyle Walker for Piszczek.
In the final ten minutes, Manchester City held the advantage on the pitch but couldn't break through Bestworth China's goal.
By full-time, Bestworth China had 62.3% possession and an 88.4% pass success rate.
As Sky Sports put it, this match fully demonstrated Bestworth China's dominance!
"Though it was just the Community Shield, Yang Cheng used this match to send a message: Bestworth China remains the most dominant—and most competitive—team in the Premier League!"
…
Bestworth China's 3–1 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield received widespread coverage across the UK. But it wasn't the biggest news story.
As the new Premier League season approaches, three major topics dominated discussions.
First, Manchester City signed a 10-year, £350 million sponsorship deal—drawing massive attention. According to Manchester City's disclosures, the deal includes £20 million per year for front-of-shirt advertising and £15 million per year for in-stadium ads.
But the focus wasn't on that—it was on the sponsors also helping the club build a 200-acre training base and academy near Manchester's home ground.
In Ferguson's words: "Isn't this treating everyone like idiots?"
"Such blatant money-pumping—does no one stop this?"
Ferguson argued that if such behavior is allowed, what's the point of UEFA's Financial Fair Play?
Manchester City clarified publicly that all sponsorship deals were legitimate commercial arrangements. The companies from Abu Dhabi were building the facilities as part of a youth development partnership—just a return on cooperation.
In short, these were "business deals"—no need to read into it.
However, many Premier League clubs objected, arguing the deals defied commercial logic. If Manchester City's shirt sponsor is really worth that much, fine—but £15 million for in-stadium ads?
How much does Bestworth China make annually in comparison?
Still, this kind of situation is hard to challenge. Manchester City says it's business; no one else can produce solid evidence to refute it.
It's simple: if UAE companies are lining up to sponsor Manchester City and driving up prices—who's to say they can't?
This issue stirred up a frenzy but will likely end without resolution.
The second big story: Manchester United is going public again.
Back in 2005, when the Glazer family took over the club, Manchester United was delisted from the London Stock Exchange. Now, the Glazers are preparing to re-list the club.
According to the Financial Times and Wall Street Journal, Manchester United is partnering with Credit Suisse, planning to float 25% of the club and raise £600 million—valuing the club at £2.4 billion.
One key reason for the rush to list, as revealed by the Financial Times, is United missing out on Champions League qualification this season, which greatly increased their debt pressure.
Fans worldwide have long known the Glazers are parasites. But it wasn't until the re-listing plans forced them to reveal more financials that everyone realized just how bad it was.
It turns out the Glazers used only loans to acquire Manchester United—a fact already known. Most of those loans were secured against Manchester United's assets and required over £60 million in annual interest payments.
Most outrageously, over £200 million of the loans were structured as payment-in-kind (PIK) loans—later sold to hedge funds with an interest rate of 16.25%. Manchester United has been paying over £30 million annually in interest on these alone.
In 2010, the Glazers issued £500 million in bonds to pay off the PIK loans and part of the original acquisition debt.
Still, the club is paying £45 million annually in interest today.
Now, the Glazers hope to use the IPO to pay off that £500 million and stop the annual interest bleed.
But the Financial Times wrote a scathing piece calling the Glazers "vampires" and "parasites" leeching off Manchester United.
Because back in 2005, their £700 million acquisition was entirely loan-financed. They used United to secure those loans, and now they want to re-list the club to clean up the debt—meaning they never spent a single penny from their own pockets.
And United? Now worth £2.4 billion—more than triple the value.
Fans are furious, demanding the Premier League and even the UK government investigate.
Listing? Fine!
But not a single penny of the £600 million raised should go to the Glazers!
The Manchester United IPO story is now a full-blown media storm.
And the third hot topic: foreign investment.
In recent years, foreign capital has been flooding into the Premier League. Combined with the league's strong globalization strategy, it has become the undisputed number one league in the world, with influence stretching across the globe.
According to The Sun, the Premier League is broadcast live in 189 out of 193 countries.
This year's global phenomenon—the International Champions Cup—also fueled the fire, with six of the twelve participating clubs coming from the Premier League.
That alone proves the Premier League's unrivaled global influence.
Foreign capital is now more focused on the Premier League than ever before.
Not only are Premier League clubs widely owned by foreign investors, but now even Championship teams have become prime investment targets.
Why? Because compared to the Premier League, Championship clubs are much cheaper to buy, and the investment costs are significantly lower.
But if you build something in the Championship and get promoted, it's a massive return on investment.
Take West Ham United, relegated from the Premier League last season—they've received a purchase offer from a Malaysian consortium.
The buyer? Tony Fernandes, founder and CEO of AirAsia, and owner of the Malaysia Lotus F1 team, who's shown great interest in West Ham.
West Ham had already changed ownership once in January 2010, taken over by Welsh businessmen David Sullivan and David Gold, whose fortune came from the adult entertainment industry.
But after the 2010/11 season, the club was relegated, and it hit the Hammers hard—especially financially.
Rumors had been circulating that the club would be sold.
And it wasn't just West Ham.
In London's financial district, many clubs were listed for sale:
Premier League sides like Newcastle, Bolton, Fulham, Everton, West Brom—
Championship clubs like West Ham, Middlesbrough, Crystal Palace, Portsmouth—
All of them waiting for buyers.
This contradiction stunned both fans and the media:
On one hand, the Premier League's global influence was soaring, with top clubs more successful than ever.
Bayswater Chinese Club, in particular, had matched Real Madrid in revenue and was aiming for the No. 1 spot worldwide.
But on the other hand, many clubs were struggling—desperately hoping for foreign saviors.
And so the headlines kept coming:
One day it was a Malaysian group, another day American investors, then Gulf state billionaires...
The stories never stopped.
…
Steve Ross, U.S. real estate magnate, accompanied by Matt Higgins, Daniel Hillman, and Charlie Stillitano, landed at London Heathrow Airport.
As the private jet taxied, Ross peered out at the gray skies above London and frowned.
"I hate this goddamn weather. No sun, no hope."
He muttered to his three aides—onboard his private jet, with no need for discretion.
"Still, London's full of potential,"
Matt Higgins replied with a smile.
Across the world, billionaires were pouring into sports—especially football.
In economic downturns, the sports industry was seen as future-proof and ripe for growth.
Both Ross and Higgins, as NFL stakeholders, understood that better than anyone.
When they landed, their welcoming party was already waiting:
Two of London's most renowned football investment consultants—Kash Harris and Lord Rothschild Jr.
(Yes, that Rothschild.)
They greeted the Americans with the usual flurry of "Welcome to London!" pleasantries and a few over-the-top compliments.
Ross, of course, was visibly impatient.
He had no time for British flattery.
"Skip the rest. Let's get to the hotel first, then take a look around."
Naturally, the hosts had no objections.
They all piled into a fleet of Rolls-Royces and left the airport.
Halfway into the drive, Kash Harris began introducing Brentford, located in Hounslow near Heathrow.
But Matt Higgins cut him off.
"I've done my research. Too far out. We need something in the city."
Harris quickly smiled and nodded.
Flying private was nice—Ross seemed well-rested.
When the car entered central London, he suddenly said he wanted to check out a stadium first.
Harris and Rothschild exchanged glances—a clear sign of a seasoned investor.
Even if he didn't understand football, he understood the sports industry.
Any serious buyer always checked the physical assets first.
The closest stadium? Craven Cottage, home of Fulham.
It sat along the Thames, nestled between the river and a major road.
It was small—and expansion seemed unlikely.
Fulham was owned by an Egyptian billionaire.
"I know him. His son died with Diana, didn't he?"
Ross chuckled.
Both British hosts forced a smile.
This American is unbearable, they thought.
After a loop around Craven Cottage, they headed west and dropped by Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea, before turning north.
As they passed Holland Park, Rothschild made a suggestion:
"This area is popular with the ultra-rich. You've heard of Bayswater Chinese Club, right?"
"Their owner, Yang Cheng, lives nearby."
The car fell silent.
No one responded.
Rothschild was left awkwardly hanging.
Beyond Holland Park sat Westfield Shopping Centre—London's largest and busiest mall.
Surrounded by five underground stations, it was prime real estate.
Heading west of Westfield, through a maze of narrow streets, they arrived at Loftus Road—home of Queens Park Rangers (QPR).
"Back in the day, Bayswater Chinese Club played two full seasons here,"
Rothschild explained.
Kash Harris chimed in with more praise, just like he had with Fulham.
"Just the name—Queens Park Rangers—you know it's got history.
How many English clubs have 'Queen' in their name?"
Unlike Craven Cottage on the river, Loftus Road was surrounded by residential buildings.
"Compared to expanding by the Thames, demolishing these homes would be easier,"
Matt Higgins observed.
Ross nodded in agreement.
The British hosts immediately caught the signal.
So—he's looking for a central location.
Just like Bayswater Chinese Club did?
At that moment, Kash Harris made a quiet decision:
From now on, I'm done messing with Yang Cheng. From now on, he's my god of wealth.
Yang Cheng had set a precedent—a goldmine that brought more deals than Harris could count.
"Mr. Ross, look—this location is every bit as good as Bayswater," Harris pitched.
"Within a 1-kilometer radius, you have five Underground stations.
And just 500 meters from Westfield, the biggest mall in London."
"If—just if—you can get City Hall's support for demolition and redevelopment,
you could connect the entire area to the Westfield commercial zone.
Just like Bayswater did."
He added one more hook:
"This is West London. Every inch is worth gold."
Rothschild jumped in.
"Even if things don't go smoothly—if demolition fails—
you could always move the stadium and develop the land like Arsenal did."
Bayswater and Arsenal were now the two textbook cases.
Bayswater rebuilt on-site and leveraged policy loopholes to generate billions in value.
Arsenal moved, sold the land, and funded their new home.
Ross was taking notes.
In Arsenal's case, the club relocated and built a new stadium, turning the old site into residential apartments—a full-scale real estate venture.
Of course, that venture failed, but everyone knew it was because of the subprime mortgage crash and the European debt crisis.
From a business perspective, the Gunners' real estate play was strategically sound.
Even more importantly, Loftus Road's location is closer to central London than Arsenal's old Highbury.
"This place isn't bad at all," Steve Ross nodded casually.
Kash Harris and Lord Rothschild Jr. immediately caught the signal.
They knew Ross was a real estate mogul—who could better understand land value?
To Harris and Rothschild, whether or not redevelopment would ever actually happen wasn't their concern.
Their job was to sell the club and pocket a commission.
And if things went south, who would buyers come back to when they wanted to resell?
Them again—another commission.
Loftus Road's location was decent—but compared to Bayswater, not even close.
Bayswater was surrounded by five Underground stations and sat next to Westfield, London's largest mall.
Loftus Road? A few hundred meters away.
Redevelopment? That would depend on political connections and planning permissions.
Chelsea had tried for years and still couldn't get it done.
Even Fulham, trying to expand the riverside stand, had hit repeated roadblocks.
"It's a competitive asset. The club has three major shareholders: F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone, Renault F1 owner Flavio Briatore, and the Indian steel magnate Mittal family,"
Kash explained.
"But in recent years, they've barely invested in QPR."
"And this land is truly unique. Tony Fernandes, founder of AirAsia and the man who wanted to buy West Ham, has now set his sights on QPR."
The name-drop worked.
Ross's brows furrowed.
"In London, where every inch is gold, QPR is an unpolished diamond. With some investment and high-profile signings, they could explode in popularity."
"They could rival even Bayswater, United, and Arsenal."
"And let's face it—none of them have Queen in their name. And that name—'Bayswater Chinese Club'—is just awful."
Ross laughed.
He still couldn't believe that someone would pick such a name.
Thank god the club had become successful—it had made the name feel catchy over time.
"How much is QPR asking?" Ross asked.
Harris and Rothschild exchanged a knowing glance.
"Now's the perfect time to buy," Rothschild said with a grin.
"Why's that?" Matt Higgins asked.
"They just got promoted. Based in West London, alongside Bayswater and Chelsea, it's a true local rivalry.
Throw in Fulham, and you've got six derbies a year—massive fan interest."
"Premier League broadcasting alone nets clubs around £30 million annually.
Loftus Road has a 20,000-seat capacity, with £40 average ticket prices.
That's at least £20 million in matchday revenue."
He paused for effect.
After ten seconds, Rothschild continued.
"As for the price? We believe we can close it for under £100 million.
Fulham, by contrast, would cost around £200 million."
The price difference came down to sporting strength.
Fulham finished 9th in the league last season—a solid mid-table side.
QPR were newly promoted.
But with a minimum £50 million in annual revenue, would a £100 million asking price be considered expensive?
"How fast could a deal like this go through?" Ross asked, not yet revealing his preferred target.
But Harris could already tell—Ross was serious.
And judging by his tone, it was likely all aimed at competing with Bayswater.
"Negotiations and paperwork would take at least six months."
Ross nodded.
"Then we'll wait until next year—and take on Bayswater Chinese Club head-to-head."
…
August 13, Ewood Park, Blackburn.
2011/12 Premier League season opener:
Blackburn Rovers vs. Bayswater Chinese Club.
Ironically, Blackburn manager Steve Kean owed Yang Cheng and Bayswater a strange kind of gratitude.
In Round 2 of last season, Bayswater thrashed Blackburn 9–0, leading to the downfall of then-manager Sam Allardyce.
Things spiraled after that.
Big Sam was gone by Christmas.
Kean, then assistant coach, stepped in as caretaker—and was later made permanent.
Though results didn't dramatically improve, he kept Blackburn up, finishing 16th.
Now, opening the new season—and facing Bayswater again, but this time at home—Kean left nothing to chance.
Even at home, he set up a deep 4-5-1, all-out defense.
Bayswater stuck with their trusted 4-3-3:
GK: CourtoisDefense: Marcelo, Thiago Silva, Pepe, PiszczekMidfield: Matić (holding), Toni Kroos, ModrićForwards: Bale, Lewandowski, Di María
With the season opener away from home, Yang Cheng started cautiously.
He wanted to control the tempo, let the players find their rhythm naturally.
The first shot came in the 10th minute:
Bale crossed, and Kroos struck from outside the box.
Kean took note.
Bayswater's midfield no longer had fixed roles.
Last season, Kroos would sit deep while Modrić pushed forward.
Now, the pair played interchangeably, reacting to the game flow.
Kroos took the season's first shot—but it flew just over the bar.
Then came waves of pressure:
13'17'24'28'29'
Every 3-4 minutes, Bayswater created a chance.
Though finishing was still rusty and nothing was too threatening, Kean was nervous.
He paced the sideline, constantly tweaking his defensive lines.
A 4-5-1 with three defensive midfielders and wingers dropping back was all Blackburn could do.
Kean hoped to hold on past the 30-minute mark and catch a breather.
But it didn't work.
34th minute:
Di María beat his man down the right and won a free kick after being fouled by Olsson.
Bale took the set piece—just over the bar.
36th minute:
Matić fed Modrić, who burst into the box and forced a save from England keeper Paul Robinson.
37th minute:
Kroos split the defense with a killer ball—Bale fired a shot from the left side of the box…
This was his favorite and most dangerous area on the pitch!
But this time, the Welshman's shot just grazed past the right post.
In the 38th minute, Lewandowski made a forward run into the right side of the box, received a pass from Di María, and struck on goal—but the goalkeeper held firm.
Bayswater Chinese Club's attacks kept coming in relentless waves, leaving Blackburn completely on the back foot.
Forget counterattacks—they could barely cope defensively.
The home fans at Ewood Park were feeling the pressure from the visiting team, but still kept cheering for their players with all they had.
Then, in the 43rd minute, Gareth Bale received the ball on the left wing and used his pace to forcefully blow past the veteran Salgado.
His low cross near the byline was blocked out for a corner by center-back Samba.
Corner kick.
Toni Kroos quickly jogged over to the left corner flag, placed the ball, and backed up a few paces.
After observing the crowd in the box, the German lifted his left hand and whipped in a sharp, curling ball toward the near post.
The delivery was fast and dipping.
Pepe burst forward, beating everyone to it, and flicked a header with the front of his head.
The ball changed direction, flew toward the right side of the goal, and beat Paul Robinson completely.
Goal!
1–0!
…
"Even though we only scored one goal in the first half, I'm very satisfied with our performance,"
Yang Cheng told his players at halftime, giving them both praise and motivation.
"But at the start of the second half, we're going to hit them hard."
"We press, we attack, we show what Bayswater Chinese Club is all about!"
"We're starting this season with a statement!"
The players were full of confidence.
And right at the start of the second half, Bayswater Chinese Club launched into attack mode, creating multiple chances on goal.
In the 52nd minute, it was again Toni Kroos, with a defense-splitting through ball.
Gareth Bale made a diagonal run into the left side of the box, received the pass, and blasted a left-footed shot into the far corner.
In the first half, he'd missed by inches. This time, he buried it.
2–0!
Ewood Park fell silent.
The fans had braced for this, but deep down, they had hoped for a miracle.
What made it worse? Even with a two-goal lead, Bayswater showed no signs of slowing down.
In the 56th minute, the visitors earned another corner.
Modrić delivered it, but Blackburn's Dann cleared it out of the box.
Waiting just outside the area on the right flank, Di María trapped the ball.
Before Nzonzi could close him down, the Argentine curled a stunning left-footed strike into the far left corner.
3–0!
Di María sprinted off in celebration—his first league goal of the season.
Just three minutes later, another attack down the left.
Marcelo pushed forward, combined with Bale in a quick one-two.
Bale dropped deep, passed the ball back to Kroos, while Marcelo made a blazing forward run.
Kroos, facing goal, played a perfect low through ball between two defenders.
Marcelo caught up to it, crossed from the left.
Lewandowski charged toward the near post and smashed in a thunderous header into the right side of the net.
4–0!
He pumped his fists and ran straight to the traveling Bayswater fans.
Three goals in less than 15 minutes. The second half had barely begun.
At this point, Blackburn had no reason to defend anymore.
They went forward, trying to score at least once—for pride.
But Bayswater were ready.
73rd minute, Blackburn crossed from the right. Pepe cleared it with a header.
Modrić and Nzonzi both went for the loose ball.
The diminutive Croatian out-positioned him, leapt, and flicked the header to Kroos.
Kroos, without even controlling, sent a laser pass to Lewandowski near the halfway line.
The Polish striker turned and launched the counterattack, quickly laying it off to the left.
Gareth Bale exploded into motion, chasing down the pass and surging into the left side of the box.
Though a defender rushed to close him down, Bale whipped a low cross to the far post.
Di María was already there.
He controlled it with his right, stopped sharply, then cut back with his left to lose the defender and rolled the ball across the box.
Lewandowski arrived, smacked it home.
5–0!
A textbook counterattack.
From Pepe's clearance, to Modrić's header, Kroos's pass, Bale's run, Di María's assist, and Lewandowski's finish—
not a single wasted touch.
Even leading by five, Bayswater didn't stop.
From the 75th minute, Yang Cheng made several substitutions—but the dominance continued.
Lewandowski missed a hat trick chance, and Di María hit the post with a rocket from 22 meters.
Blackburn had one golden opportunity in stoppage time.
Yakubu and Nzonzi played a one-two, with Yakubu charging into the box for a close-range shot.
But Courtois dove low, stuck out a hand, and parried it away—drawing applause from Yang Cheng and his teammates.
In the end, Bayswater Chinese Club opened the Premier League season with a 5–0 away win at Blackburn!
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